article thumbnail

Petrel Paradise

10,000 Birds

Fluttering Shearwater ( Puffinus gavia ) Flesh-footed Shearwater ( Puffinus carneipes ) Buller’s Shearwater ( Puffinus bulleri ) Along with these three were Two further species, also both familiar to North American birders, Sooty Shearwaters and Short-tailed Shearwaters. It is also restricted as a breeder to the north of North Island.

article thumbnail

Tiritiri Matangi Island

10,000 Birds

Like Kapiti the island is an offshore refuge for many species extinct on the mainland, with a lot of the work being done by the voluntary Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi. One species I really hoped to find on the trip was the Kokako. He came into studying birds rather later in life, and could quit any time he wants to.

article thumbnail

Stalking a Kiwi Icon

10,000 Birds

For all its cultural ubiquity in New Zealand, actually seeing a wild kiwi is actually quite a challenging proposition for a birder. There are are presently thought to be five species of kiwi with a possible sixth extinct species, all of which have suffered varying degrees of range contraction since the arrival of humans.